L’Elephant — Restaurant in Luang Prabang

Set in a restored colonial building, L’Elephant Restaurant offers some of the finest French and Lao cuisine in the city. The restaurant uses fresh ingredients, sourced from its own private vegetable garden, to create daily and weekly specials. The menu is a mix of typical French specialities like steak tartare and frogs’ legs, along with traditional Lao dishes like lemongrass pork and river fish grilled in a banana leaf. The restaurant’s elegant interior is a perfect match to its superb cuisine, with dramatic high-ceilings, stucco pillars, and exotic bamboo shades. In keeping with its French elements, L’Elephant also offers an excellent wine menu of both local and imported bottles.

The Coconut Garden offers well-prepared Lao cuisine in a charming outdoor setting. The restaurant’s set menus, which each include five different Lao dishes, provide a wonderful introduction to the different flavours of Lao cuisine. The vegetarian set menu features dishes like fried glass noodles with bamboo shoots; and banana fritters in pineapple syrup for dessert. Like many of the city’s restaurants, the menu also includes a few Western dishes to satisfy picky eaters. Coconut Garden mainly offers outdoor seating, including a courtyard located along the road in the front, and a shady back patio decorated with fountains.

In a colonial-chic building with bamboo shades and hardwood tables, L’Elephant is a longstanding favourite. This French bistro serves both Western and Lao cuisine, but on our lunchtime visit the aroma of baking bread was definitely stronger than that of chilli. French fare like frogs’ legs and steak tartare grace the menu, but equally popular are their degustation menus of Lao cuisine. Some dishes are traditional like lemongrass pork, while desserts like ginger ice cream are their own creation. The ambience is sophisticated and there’s an extensive liste du vin. It’s an expensive restaurant by Lao standards with the cheapest set menu starting at 180,000 kip and rising sharply from there. Still, it’s a popular restaurant and has a great reputation and consistently...

From the moment I walked into this restaurant, I was impressed with the warm and inviting atmosphere. The comfortable seating and fans made the dining nice in hot weather.

The menu was expansive, with a wide range of options to suit every taste and dietary requirement. From vegan and vegetarian options to gluten-free and low-carb dishes, there was something for everyone. And the best part was that every dish was made with the freshest ingredients, ensuring that each bite was bursting with flavor.

The waitstaff were attentive and knowledgeable, offering recommendations and answering any questions we had about the menu. They were quick to refill drinks and check on us throughout our meal, ensuring that we had everything we needed to enjoy our dining experience. The margaritas were super tasty and fresh no premade/fake mixes.

Each dish we ordered was absolutely delicious, with incredible flavors and perfect presentation. From the appetizers to the desserts, everything was prepared with care and attention to detail. I particularly loved the crispy mekong fish, which was bursting with flavor and had the perfect...

Nope. Move on. Please.

Hard to say why I had my particularly disappointing and disrespectful experience. It made me feel sad.

This place was recommended to me by my hotel, guides and multiple travelers. I have no doubt you'll have a better experience if you choose to dine here.

I was seated and then ignored for about 20+ minutes. I looked up and around the room a few times, made eye contact with the staff, nodded. Nothing. No water, no drink order. Nothing. And the place wasn't busy as it was towards the end of the evening rush.

I was a solo diner. They cleared all the tables around me. Like I didn't exist. That's where I felt the pain.

I walked up the street to Popolo. Everyone was lovely and warm. I was seen and respected. Go there or frankly anywhere else. Note: I'm not new to travel or dining at the 'finest restaurants in the world ' if...